Card holder



Sept. 20, 1932. SCHWARTZ 1,878,717

CARD HOLDER Filed Dec. 1, 1930 IN VEN TOR. [1 54 ,w/ 5CHW4F Patented Sept. 20, 1932 UNITED STATES EVELYN SCHWARTZ, OF NEW YORK, 11'. Y.

CARD nor-nan Application filed December 1, 1930. Serial This invention relates to devices for supporting a plurality of cards constituting the hand of one of a number of players in playing any of the numerous card games. such for example as bridge, pinochle, five hundred and like games; and the ob'ect of the invention is to provide a substantially fan-shaped holder, preferably arc-shaped in cross sectional form with means for supporting a plurality of extended cards in the holder in such manner as to render at least one corner portion of each card exposed to indicate its full value and to facilitate the removal of the separate cards from the holder; a further object being to provide the lower end portion of the holder with a front flap, which in conjunction with the back of the holder, serves as a guard or shield protecting the cards from the moisture of the hand. and also forming protector shields for preventing the cards from becoming soiled through handling; a further object being to provide a holder of the class specified which will facilitate the placement of a series of cards contained in the holder on the table as a unit, supporting the cards intact while so placed; and with these and other objects in view, the invention consists in a device of the class and for the purpose specified, which is simple in construction, efiieient in use, and which is constructed as hereinafter described and claimed.

The invention is fully disclosed in the following specification, of which the accom panying drawing forms a part, in which the separate parts of my improvement are designated by suitable reference characters in each of the views, and in which:

Fig. 1 is a front view of a holder made according to my invention and indicating the method of its use.

Fig. 2 is a transverse section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1; and,

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of Fig 1.

In carrying my invention into effect, I provide a substantially fan-shaped holder 10, fashioned from any suitable material which may be relatively thin and inexpensive to permit the disposal thereof after each series of games or which may be composed of more expensive material and reused for an indefinite period. For example, in the latter use, such materials as fibre, rubber, celluloid, bakelite, sheet metal, cardboard and the like may be employed.

he upper edge of the holder 10 is prefe5 erably of a scalloped contour. as indicated at 11, but any other suitable outline for this edge may be employed. The side edges are bent forwardly to form side flanges 12. EX- tending from the lower edge of the holder is a co smaller, fan-shaped tongue or flap 13 arranged upon and in spaced relation to the front face of the holder at the lower portion thereof, said flap forming a finger piece which serves to protect the cards 14 arranged in the holder from coming in direct contact with the fingers or thumb of a hand.

Intermediate the upper and lower edges of the holder and extending from one side edge to the other side edge thereof, preferably in to arc-shaped fashion is a card holding band 15 cut from the material of the holder proper and extending forwardly with respect thereto to facilitate the placement of the cards 14 between the front face of the body portion proper of the holder and the rear face of the band 15 as clearly indicated in Fig. 3 of the drawing. The upper edge of the band 15 is preferably notched as seen at 16 to break up the straight, arc-shaped line.

One of the purposes of the holder,.aside from providing a clean and sanitary means of supporting cards is to so support the cards as to prevent opponents from seeing the hand when held in the usual manner with respect to the player. The irregular edge formed by the notches 16 aids in accomplishing this result, by breaking up the straight line.

In Fig. 1 of the accompanying drawing, I have shown a possible bridge hand supported in the holder, and it is preferred that the upper edges of the cards project slightly above the upper edge 11 of the holder to facilitate the removal'of the cards from the holder.

In the use of my improved holder, the cards may be arranged in the form indicated in Fig. 1 of the drawing and assembled as a unit in the holder, or the cards may be sepfront face of the cards to retain the cards I arately placed in the holder and then adjusted to the position shown in such manner as to expose at least one corner of each card so that the value of the card may be readily seen.

It will be understood that when my improved holder is constructed of relatively inexpensive material and for a single use through a series of games, the holder may be utilized as a tally and the same may be printed, painted, lithographed or otherwise characterized to give ornamentation thereto. In fact, this would also apply to the more expensive type of holders which are constructed for unlimited use.

It will be understood that while I have shown certain details of construction for carrying my invention into effect that I am not necessarily limited to these details, and various changes in and modifications of the construction herein shown and described may be made within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit of my invention or sacrificing its advantages.

Having fully described my invention, what claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A card holder of the class described com- I prlsing a substantially fan-shaped body, upon which a predetermined number of cards are adapted to be arranged and supported in such manner as to expose at least one corner of each card. and a narrow pressed forwardly from body and adapted to be arranged upon the front face of the cards to retain the cards against accidental displacement from the holder.

2. A card holder of the class described comprising a substantially fan-shaped body, upon which a predetermined number of cards are adapted to be arranged and supported in such manner as to expose at least one corner of each card, a narrow band struck out and pressed forwardly from the material of said body and adapted to be arranged upon the the material of said against accidental displacement from the holder, and side edges of said body including orwardly extending flanges.

3. A card holder of the class described comprising a substantially fan-shaped body, upon which a predetermined number of cards are adapted to be arranged and supported in such manner as to expose at least one corner of each card, a narrow band struck out and pressed forwardly from the material of said body and adapted to be arranged upon the front face of the cards to retain the cards against accidental displacement from the holder, and said body and band being areshaped in cross sectional form.

4. A card holder of the class described comprising a substantially fan-shaped body, upon which a predetermined number of cards are band struck out and adapted to be arranged and supported in such manner as to expose at least one corner of each card, a narrow band struck out and pressed forwardly from the material of said body and adapted to be arranged upon the front face of the cards to retain the cards against accidental displacement from the holder, and a linger piece integral with the lower end of said body and arranged upon said body outwardly of the cards mounted therein.

5. A card holder of the class described comprising a substantially fan-shaped body, upon which a predetermined number of cards are adapted to be arranged and supported in such manner as to expose at least one corner of each card, a narrow band struck out and pressed forwardly from the material of said body and adapted to be arranged'upon the front face of the cards to retain the cards against acrfdental displacement from the holder, a linger piece integral with the lower end of said body and arranged upon said body outwardly of the cards mounted therein. and the upper edge of the holder being of irregular contour.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention 1 have signed my name this 26th day of November, 1930.

EVELYN SCHWARTZ. 

